Mobile Trends in a Mobile World

Mobile devices aren’t a new thing these days, and we all know the advertising and engagement opportunities that they give to brands and retailers.

However this month we’ve taken a look at the latest digital statistics around mobile trends and their daily usage by consumers. Useful data for all you FMCG/Retail brand managers and digital marketing managers!

Worldwide, people spend an average of almost two hours a day on mobile. Consumers are consistently connected and use various different devices to find what they need, whenever and wherever they are. 74% of people own a smartphone and, on average, people own 3.3 connected devices. When consumers want to know something or want to buy something, they turn to their devices to engage with brands and businesses to help their needs.

Mobile Trends in the UK

There are 5 key trends that emerged in the digital landscape of the UK:

Mobile is vital to daily life – People are becoming extremely reliant on their phones as 68% of mobile users check their phone within 15 minutes of being awake on a morning. Also, 30% of people admit they are ‘anxious’ without their phone.

Mobile is transforming consumer behaviour -Consumers are turning to their smartphones while interacting with other types of media. For example, 58% of people use their devices while watching TV.

Mobile is helping users find what they need – 28% of people use their mobile to look for advice, 32% for comparison and 46% for inspiration.

Mobile is changing the way we shop – 76% of people who search on their phone for something nearby visit a related business within a day and 26% of these searches result in a purchase.

90% of worldwide internet usage that takes place on mobile devices, is spent in apps. This is positive in terms of brand loyalty and engagement perspective. However, the length of time a user is engaged in an app isn’t the best way to measure the value of a business.

What businesses should consider is where users are spending their money. When it comes to commercial tasks: 66% of people use sites more often, 28% of people use sites and apps equally and only 6% prefer apps. So, having a good mobile site should enable you to reach 94% of users looking to buy.

It ultimately, comes down to an understanding of both your customers and your business. Most consumers swap between devices, websites and apps when looking to purchase something. Therefore, sites should be optimised to work together to provide a straightforward and natural experience for your target markets. Customers will usually experience your brand through your mobile site, with apps primarily used by loyal customers.

How Mobile Searches are Leading the Way

As more people are using mobile devices to go online, mobile and desktop traffic is undergoing a change! In 2016, over 50% of internet usage worldwide came from mobile. This increase is also shown through the usage for research and decision making, as 80% of people use mobile devices for this and 57% use several devices.

Why are Mobile Sites Important?

Phones are an effective tool for achieving advertising objectives, and marketers now have the ability to match marketing messages with signals of both intent and content.

Mobile marketing can:

Target users by demographic, behaviour and interests

Increase sales and leads

Increase offline sales with location-based ads

Connect more consumers with what they want

Using mobile as a central part of your strategy and developing cross-media campaigns to attract your target audience, a business will reap the rewards

Mobile User Experiences

Sites on mobile should be responsive and perform well across the full range of screen sizes and mobile platforms. Content management needs to assessed as reduced screen real estate means that designers have to be selective in focusing on only the most relevant content. This can have an effective and powerful effect as 65% of people are more likely to purchase something when they can read the reviews while browsing.